However, to obtain the records through that site, you have to be immediate next of kin to the person and he or she has to be deceased. Next of kin would be - widow/er, child, parent or sibling.

If you are not immediate next of kin, you can request service records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). You will need to submit a form called SF-180. More instructions on how to do that and a dowloadable form SF-180 can also be found at the National Archives website at